Lenovo Focuses on IT Consumerization with New Business Group

Written by Dave Courbanou 1
January 19, 2011

PC maker Lenovo is focusing on bringing consumer products into the business arena with its new Mobile Internet Business Group. Focusing on tablets, smartphones and smart TVs, the new business group will help focus and develop services around these emerging technologies -- at least that's Lenovo's hope. Here's some perspective...

PC maker Lenovo is focusing on bringing consumer products into the business arena with its new Mobile Internet Business Group. Focusing on tablets, smartphones and smart TVs, the new business group will help focus and develop services around these emerging technologies — at least that’s Lenovo’s hope. Here’s some perspective…

The full title of Lenovo’s group — Mobile Internet and Digital Home Business Group (MIDH) — is a mouthful. The new group is both responsible for creating mobile Internet devices at Lenovo and dealing with the convergence of these technologies into the IT space. For those reasons, Lenovo’s Liu Jun, the former Product Group VP, will head the new group as president. According to Lenovo, Jun has experience in both consumer and commercial business, so the fit is a natural.

Lenovo’s press release points to its momentum at CES 2011 along with its new products such as the IdeaPad U1 Hybrid and the succss in China of the Lenovo smartphone as motivators for establishing the group.

Lenovo’s news lacks specifics, especially about the aforementioned services, but what can VARs and MSPs take from the announcement?

Overall, Lenovo’s move shows IT consumerization isn’t something to take lightly anymore. It’s no longer about C-level executives carrying around an iPad; these days entire departments could be working on mobile devices. Just because Lenovo sees that niche as a chance to capitalize on services in the convergent space doesn’t mean VARs and MSPs can’t play there as well. In fact, this is something we talked about exclusively right after CES 2011.

What’s more, partners, VARs or any other channel players working with Lenovo can essentially double up on Lenovo’s support and their own wrapped services around whatever consumer products are making their way into the business world. Lenovo’s jumping on the bandwagon may set a precedent for other companies to follow suit, if they haven’t already.

What trends are you seeing in the market?

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